Accident Overview
On August 5, 2016, about 1113 central daylight time, a Piper PA-11, registration N4707M, impacted a field while maneuvering near Indianola, Iowa. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces. The commercial pilot and a student pilot rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by Agri-Flite Inc under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 for a personal flight not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The flight originated from Laverty Field Airport, Indianola, Iowa, at 1045.
Flight and Personnel Information
According to the president of Agri-Flite Inc, the pilot and passenger were employed as ground crew personnel, not as pilots. The pilot was not a company flight instructor, was not allowed to fly with passengers, and could only fly with company flight instructors. Similarly, the passenger was only allowed to fly with company flight instructors. The president stated that ground personnel were allowed to fly company airplanes to accumulate flight time, but this was not a method to transition to pilot positions; there were no upcoming pilot positions available. The flight was considered a benefit.
On the day of the accident, the president observed the pilot perform at least two stop-and-go's in N4707M. The passenger was seen sitting outside the office using a phone, and the president speculated he was communicating with the pilot. The pilot landed, and the student pilot boarded without the airplane being shut down, as shown by company security video. Both then departed westward.
Witness Observations
Local law enforcement reported two witnesses who saw the airplane takeoff toward the east. The airplane appeared to be moving "very sluggishly" and had difficulty gaining speed for takeoff and climbing after lift-off. The airplane flew east, circled west, continued flying "very slowly," and had "a hard time getting any lift." It finally began to climb but then the left wing "dipped down" toward the ground. The airplane wobbled three or four times, with left and right wings alternately dipping, then "dropped out of the air."
Aircraft and Wreckage Examination
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating and a second-class medical certificate dated November 6, 2015, issued without limitations. According to the operator's accident report, the pilot had about 260 hours of total flight time, with about 2.5 hours in the accident make and model.
An FAA Principal Airworthiness Inspector reported the wreckage was oriented east on a 090-degree heading. The left wing rested flat on the ground; the right wing root was slightly elevated due to fuselage twisting. A post-crash fire consumed all fabric from wings and fuselage. Flight control continuity was confirmed. The Continental A-65-8 engine had magnetos broken out but still on the accessory case. The propeller was bolted to the flange; the left blade was splintered inches from the hub, with a separated portion under the engine, and about 30 percent of the right blade missing. Fire damage prevented determination of throttle, carburetor heat, and fuel selector positions.
The FAA Final Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report for the pilot indicated no carbon monoxide detected in blood, no ethanol in urine, and no listed drugs detected in urine. Cyanide testing was not performed.
The president of Agri-Flite Inc stated that based on a pilot weight of about 225 pounds and passenger weight of about 285 pounds, the airplane's weight exceeded the maximum certified weight. The calculated takeoff weight was about 1,338 lbs, while the maximum certified weight was 1,220 lbs.